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A therapy dog is a dog who visits places like schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Therapy dog training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe teaches dogs to provide comfort, support, and affection to the people they meet, particularly vulnerable people like children, seniors, patients in hospitals, and so on.
Therapy dogs are not service dogs. Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks to help a person who has a disability. This distinction is important because therapy dogs do not have the same access to public places like service dogs do. For example, service dogs can go into restaurants, but therapy dogs cannot. Therapy dogs still provide a valuable service and should receive therapy dog certification.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite New Mexico location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
Who Do Therapy Dogs Help?
Therapy dogs may be regular visitors to a variety of people and places, with hospitals and rehabilitation centers being among the most common. Children, in particular, respond positively to therapy dogs.
Seniors in assisted living or people with mental disabilities who live in facilities and experience feelings of isolation also see a lot of benefits from visiting with a therapy dog.
Besides providing valuable social opportunities and relieving anxiety, therapy dogs may even help lower blood pressure and heart rate in patients and the other people they visit.
Why Are Therapy Dogs Important?
Therapy dogs offer unconditional love, non-judgmental interaction, reduce stress, anxiety and loneliness, and provide an overall positive distraction to ailments. Research shows therapy dogs can have a positive effect on a patient’s mood, stress and pain levels during facility stays.
Young patients — children — seem to benefit most from working with therapy dogs. They are more motivated to participate in treatments, feel optimistic about the future, and experience an overall sense of calm when a certified therapy dog is present.
For people who may have a hard time socializing due to mental disabilities or their living situation, therapy dogs can promote social interaction within their community and help them to connect.
We help your dog become a valued companion and beloved member of the family. Read what our customers have to say and then give us a call!
Overall great experience with John. My dog has come such a long way and I’m a lot more confident with him too. Package was on the pricey side but this was necessary for my situation and my dogs aggression and reactiveness.— Leslie Salinas
Posted June 23rd 2024
I did service dog training with my labradoodle. Everyone on the team was amazing. They come to your home do the training there. John the dog trainer was always on time. Alway tried to find answers to my questions.— Sherry Sanchez
Posted June 19th 2024
John was so patient and kind. He is very knowledgable and always worked with me to find what would work best for our dog and our family. Our Dachshund puppy was so stubborn and difficult but thanks to John she listens to commands, doesn't pee and poop out of revenge, is fully crate trained and more. This company actually cares about clients. John and team went out of their way to check in on us and even offer us additional support when our lessons were over. HIGHLY recommend Dog Training Elite for quality, service and support.— Alex Sanchez
Posted June 7th 2024
Stephanie was awesome and did great with our two dogs! Justin was easy to communicate with for scheduling! Now we will get to take Alba and Tula to group classes for 6 months, which will be really beneficial.— Jared Salas
Posted May 31st 2024
No amount of words can express how much we value Dog Training Elite. They have done an awesome job with our German Shepherd who is almost a year now. Our Trainer John is nothing less than the best. He is very patient and encouraging every step of the way. We recommend him 1000% and will always be thankful to know we have the best of the best. Please consider taking on Dog Training Elite they will not let you down!!— kaytlyn vigil
Posted May 23rd 2024
We have been working with John for 2 months now with training our Lab puppy to become a service dog. We are completely amazed at how much our puppy has transformed over these past two months. John has been so wonderful to work with each week. He gives us and our puppy confidence in training and learning. His instructions are clear, and he is willing to answer all of the questions we have for him each week. I 100% would recommend everyone who wants an obedient dog to utilize Dog Training Elite. Thanks John!— Sherry Stamper
Posted May 22nd 2024
Dog training elite has been working with my dog since he was 6 months old and he has now 15 months old. My dog had reached the service dog level and we continue to work on those skills everyday. The trainer is timely with their visits to my home and Training is thorough and fun for the dog nd the owner.. Their staff is compassionate and caring and well trained in training dogs. It is obvious that they enjoy their job and they love the dogs and the owners become friends with the trainer. I am a firm believer that if you're going to own a dog, training is the best way to make sure you have a dog as a great member of the family and the community. Training is an investment in your animal . A trained dog works well within the family and the family is happier because the dog is obedient. I highly recommend DOG TAINING ELITE!— Cynthia Dunnington
Posted May 18th 2024
I wish I could share Dog Training Elite with every dog owner in New Mexico! They have been my saving grace! My current service dog is getting older, and training a new puppy while working full time can be a task to juggle on the best day! Dog Training Elite has been able to work around my schedule, come to my home and work in 'real world' scenarios to prepare my new puppy to enable my current service dog to retire and play in the back yard in her golden years. John, our trainer, has been so patient and has come up with amazing ways to teach this seasoned dog owner a new thing or two! If you are on the fence about a trainer, DONT WAIT! Dog Training Elite is worth your time and will help you train your dog for life! I feel so much more secure that my Gungi will be a focused, predictable and contributing team mate for me when I am in public and a well behaved pet during his off time. Thank you Dog Training Elite New Mexico and John! Here is a photo of Gungi during his first restaurant outing last week, his is doing 'under' , placement under a chair to make himself tiny and out of the way of everyone in an eating area.— Stacey G
Posted April 8th 2024
I am very impressed with John’s Knowledge and expertise. Our first session together with my dog was spectacular. In fact, using the techniques that John suggested, it was almost Like having a remote control for my dog. We are very pleased with the results so far And are very excited to see where this training will lead us.— Brent Poindexter
Posted April 5th 2024
We just signed our dog up for the therapy training program. After one week of training under John's guidance, we feel like we have a different dog! You think you have a well-trained dog until you actually see the difference that professional help can make. John is patient, kind, and incredibly knowledgable. We have followed his advice and tips and will continue to do so because it is working. We can't wait to see the final results!— Dina Knouse
Posted April 5th 2024
my experience with the Dog Training Elite team has been amazing. With my current service dog getting up in age, and needing to retire I needed a training program that could tailor around my work schedule for my new puppy. I cannot tell you what a savior Dog Training Elite has been. I'm very impressed with their methods and could not have asked for a more patient and empowering trainer than John!— Stacey Gunthorpe
Posted March 31st 2024
We absolutely recommend dog training elite! The personal approach was just what our rescue dog needed and the instructions gave us, the dog parents many tools for our tool box. We are well on our way to having a well behaved pooch!!!— Deb Dorn
Posted December 29th 2023
Susan was great. We gained the tools and confidence to keep our dog safe, and safe for others. She told us what to expect every step of the way, and just like she said would be the case, we learned as much as our dog did. Worth every penny, as we know this is just a foundation on which we can now continue to build.— Cristian Gabriel Cruz
Posted December 5th 2023
This team is awesome, everyone is super friendly and welcoming. Susan was our trainer and she was very knowledgeable and really easy to work. 10 out of 10 would recommend.— Raymond Caldwell
Posted November 3rd 2023
How Does a Dog Become a Therapy Dog?
If you have felt the benefits of owning a dog, you may feel inspired to help more people feel the unconditional love, joy and support your dog provides. However, having a friendly, loving personality isn’t enough for a dog to qualify as a therapy dog. Some other qualifications to consider are:
- The age of your dog. Puppies do not make good therapy animals.
- How obedient your dog is. It’s important your dog listens to you and obeys basic commands. Dogs that go through obedience training with Dog Training Elite New Mexico have the perfect foundation to go onto therapy dog training, as long as they are old enough.
- How social your dog is. Your dog may be affectionate with you — but are they affectionate with strangers? Do they like to receive attention from strangers, particularly petting?
Therapy Dog Handlers
As a dog owner, it’s important to reflect on whether you would like to become a therapy dog handler as well. If you enjoy connecting with people, becoming a therapy dog handler may be a great fit. You can also choose where to volunteer to better suit your interests — if you like kids, volunteer to visit schools or children’s hospitals. If you prefer to work with older people, then sign up to visit senior living centers.
Once you’ve determined that becoming a therapy dog handler and helping your dog become a therapy dog is the right move for the two of you, you’re ready to start therapy dog training. The trainers of Dog Training Elite New Mexico are experts in the behaviors needed in a therapy dog and will help you and your dog either brush up on or master behaviors such as “leave it,” “watch me,” loose-leash walking and not jumping on other people.
To help your dog become well socialized, you may consider also signing up for one of Dog Training Elite New Mexico’s group obedience classes. A group class environment is also beneficial because it helps your dog learn to be obedient when there are a lot of distractions around, a crucial skill for a therapy dog.
Once you’ve completed initial training, you’re ready to apply for therapy dog certification in Albuquerque / Santa Fe. However, it is important to note that this certification is not the end. It’s important to stay on top of your dog’s training and continue to help them be the best therapy dog they can be.
Why do Therapy Dog Training with Dog Training Elite New Mexico?
The Dog Training Elite New Mexico training method stands out because of its emphasis on positive reinforcement. Dogs are never punished for bad behavior, instead they are rewarded for good behavior. This kind of training makes a huge difference in your relationship with your dog, and will make a difference in how your dog interacts with other people.
The balanced training method of Dog Training Elite New Mexico fosters a dog’s naturally loving and obedient nature. Focusing on positive reinforcement and rewarding good behavior helps build a strong bond between dog and owner built on love and trust. This foundation in turn becomes a great foundation for dog and owner to become a fabulous therapy team providing an invaluable service to the community.
If you feel therapy dog certification is right for you and your dog, get started by contacting Dog Training Elite New Mexico. Request your free training demo and in-home assessment today.
